Rampur civic body against proposal to stall demolition drive

The Rampur Municipal Board has opposed a proposal against the demolition of homes of Balmiki community after the National Scheduled Castes and Sub-castes Commission assured that it would be sent to the state government "within 15 days".
National Scheduled Castes and Sub-castes Commission's Vice President Raj Kumar had on April 16 interacted with the fasting members and said the district administration will send its proposal against demolition of their homes within 15 days.
He had assured them that the proposal will be sent to the state government for its final stamp and criminal cases instituted against the community members too will be withdrawn.

Members of the Balmiki community sat on a nine-day hunger-strike after the municipal board declared a locality of Balmikis as unauthorised and decided to raze to ground the "illegal possessions".
"Neither the district magistrate and nor the alleged unauthorised occupants possess the proprietorship rights of the said land and hence the proposal can not be accepted as viable," Rampur Municipal Board Chairman Azhar Khan claimed in a statement last evening.
Khan quoted a judgment of the Allahabad High Court which had rejected the writ petition of an inhabitant of the colony, Munni Devi clarifying that the said occupancy falls under encroachment of the public proprietorship and it is only the civic body which is entitled to transfer the proprietorship of its land to any individual or a group of individuals.

This right of the Board has amply been specified under section 124 of 1916 Act, he said, adding that the apex court had stated that construction of even Gandhi's statues, library or kiosks were not permissible.
The Chairman also questioned what action had been taken against those who had made alleged false claims against UP Cabinet Minister Azam Khan in this connection.